I'm loving the new Spoon album, despite its awful title: Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga . That's five Ga's. In an interview in the band's hometown newspaper, the Austin-American Statesman , lead singer and songwriter Britt Daniel says it's how the band referred to the track "The Ghost of You Lingers" while in the studio. Daniel ended up liking Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (it hurts to type it) so much, thinking it was a great " Dadaist " term, so they kept it for the album title.
Ugo Mulas portrait of Lee Bontecou on Spoon's new album, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
One of the best tracks: "The Underdog" - which Daniel says is one of the political tunes on the album. I especially love the horns and lyrics like: "Got no regard for the thing that you don't understand / You've got no fear of the underdog / That's why you will not survive." Daniel has certainly written better lyrics, but with the horns, these just hit home.
Another fave is "You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb." The song is about a breakup, with a sound reminiscent of Motown. I've listened to it over and over again.
On a side note: the album art is terrific. The contrasty image is a Ugo Mulas portrait of female sculptor Lee Bontecou . He captured her at such a telling, intimate moment in the creative process, one where she's pausing to consider and regroup. At the same time, she looks so commanding, surrounded by all the materials and detritus that make up her studio. During the 60's, Ugo Mulas photographed many of the leading artists of the New York scene. The portrait of Bontecou is so good, it makes that title go down a little easier.
-- Angela Carone produces arts and culture programming for These Days and Culture Lust . Please read our guidelines before posting comments.
Edward Wilensky
July 18, 2007 at 11:11 PM
But think of the potential headline possibilities this opens up:
"Grammy Goes Ga-Ga for Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga"
Joking aside, a wonderful album and possibly one of their best efforts yet.
Still partial to "Don't You Evah" myself.
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